This invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for connecting irrigation tubing or similar devices, and specifically to methods and apparatus to establish a flow path through the side of a first piece of tubing (rather than the end of the tubing) into a second piece of tubing (into its end, side, or otherwise) or other device or structure, and to connect tubing that has a non-uniform sidewall thickness (such as “drip irrigation” tubing).
Within the irrigation industry, lay-flat tubing is relatively large flexible tubing, capable of transporting a relatively large volume of water or other fluid.
Drip tubing is relatively smaller tubing, which conventionally has a non-uniform wall thickness, in which a thicker portion of the sidewall includes a drip channel formed along the length of the sidewall. Typically, water or other fluid in the main body of the drip tubing “drips” from that main body (and thus irrigates the soil or other material under the drip tubing) by pressing the fluid in the tubing main body (such as via normal pump or water pressure) and thereby forcing the fluid through openings into the drip channel, and thereafter out other openings from that drip channel to the soil or other thing to be irrigated.
Due to the relative flow volumes of lay-flat tubing (relatively high) and drip tubing (relatively smaller) and other factors, attempts have been made to use lay-flat tubing as a “main” line for water supply and to “tap into” that main line with a plurality of drip tubing lines. None of those attempts has been satisfactory. Among other things, prior art efforts result in substantial leakage at the junction between the two types of tubing.